Port Vale v Doncaster Rovers Match Preview


by Paul Williams

Two weeks into the new season and we’re still undefeated and in the second round of the Capital One Cup. But some would say that’s where the good news ends. We still haven’t scored a goal in open play after 420 minutes of football – no-one in their right mind could count that farcical finale to the Bury game. Of course, by the same token, you could say that we haven’t conceded yet in the league but that’s largely down to the excellent Thorsten Stuckmann.

Our new German goalkeeper has certainly impressed and PD’s summer signings, on the whole, are all seasoned pros who should be an asset in League 1. Sadly, our manager is still pursuing his predilection for forcing square pegs into round holes and, with Nathan Tyson’s injury, the squad is so devoid of pace that there are rumours that we’ve been assigned a motorway escort for the team bus to warn road users of a slow-moving vehicle.

I think we can deduce that the Rovers’ piggy bank is no longer rattling so new additions are likely to be over the horizon and Harry Forrester’s early exit on Wednesday suggests he may be a doubt for the trip to Vale Park, where we’ve rarely excelled. Maybe it’s the drafty Sixties-style stands that are so unwelcoming, or the attitude of the club itself towards away supporters which stems from a similar era. However, I do remember winning a televised game in the Potteries a few years ago when Radio Sheffield’s expert summariser Mickey ‘He’s a big mate of mine’ Walker was temporarily head honcho.

What’s for certain is that the wide-open spaces on the pitch at Vale Park are unlikely to suit the senior members of our overworked midfield and you just know that the decision to send Uche Ikpeazu back early from a loan spell last season will return to bite us in the rear at some stage – I suppose we might as well get it over with.

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